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Bee Breeding 




BEE-BREEDING 



A Little Monograph on a Neglected Subject 

By 
STEPHEN N. GREEN 

Copyright, 1907 



I LIBRARY of COMB RES? 

Two CoDles Received 

AUG 26 190/ 

Copynrht Entry 
iOcf/Z /f07 
I CUSS/^ XXc, No. 






PREFACE. BEE 

The honey-bee has not been improved in BREEDING 
a systematic way. New methods of 
handling, new kinds of hives, appHances, 
etc., by the score, but as yet there is very 
little effort toward a better bee. New races, 
it is true, have been introduced, but these 
do not fill the requirements. What we 
desire is a bee highly and scientifically de- 
veloped to meet specific needs. 

Bee-keepers are surely behind the times 
in this phase of the development of their 
industry. Animal breeding to-day is an 
exact science. Plant-breeding within the 
past ten years has made marvelous ad- 
vances. With the results of researches of 
the kingdoms of life above and below that 
of the bee, before us, bee-breeding simply 
demands intelligence and time to advance 
to a state of perfection hardly dreamed of 
to-day. 

Bee-breeding is not bee or queen-rearing ; 
hence I am not to take up the discussion of 
many of the new or old methods of culture. 
It's not a question of more bees alone, but 
better bees. 

Science is progressive. This little work 
is not perfect or complete. It is merely a 
start in the right direction. 

Medina, Ohio, June, 1907. 



Published by 

THE A. I. ROOT CO. 

Medina, O. 



CONTENTS 



THE IDEAL BEE ... 9 

The necessity of a fixed standard. 

THE PROBLEM . . . • i3 
Going into details of the question. 

ENVIRONMENT . . , • iQ 
The basic law. 

HEREDITY 22 

An important subject briefly 
touched. 

SELECTION 26 

How to attain your ideals. 

CROSSING 28 

Making clear some points. 

NUTRITION . . • . 35 

Explaining how development 
is effected. 

CORRELATION .... 39 
Explaining how to judge un- 
seen qualities. 

HONEY-PLANTS .... 41 
A closely related problem. 



/ 



^1 



THE IDEAL BEE. 

We cannot all agree as to the qualities of 
this bee. Every bee-keeper has his own 
ideal. He has in mind his own particular 
needs, and the bee that meets these require- 
ments is to him the standard. 

To know exactly what you want, and 
then proceed with this ideal in view, is the 
first requirement of successful breeding. 

However, to make the most rapid prog- 
ress as a whole, bee-keepers need a "stand- 
ard of excellence." This standard may be 
a "scale of points," or a "pedigree"— a 
registry, or record of performance. 

In constructing a scale of points it is im- 
possible to please every one ; for, as we have 
said, ideals vary so that there would be 
almost as many scales as there are bee- 
keepers. We must have in mind the most 



BEE general requirements, and build with these 

BREEDING in view. 

The use of a scale of points is mainly for 
the beginner. It is to train his judgment. 
When he has once a clear ideal of the re- 
quirements of an ideal bee he can, like the 
veteran, lay the scale aside. Also in award- 
ing prizes, when there is a number of a cer- 
tain class in competition, a scale of points is 
necessary for a fair treatment of all — that 
is, there must be some known standard to 
judge by. 

Below is a suggestion, revised and modi- 
fied by a number of authorities, which meets 
fairly well the requirements for a strain of 
bees adapted to the production of extracted 
honey : 

Prolificness 30 points 

Non-Swarming 10 points 

Gentleness 10 points 

Working abilities 15 points 

Size of bee 15 points 

Comb-building 5 points 

Hardiness 15 points 

The perfect bee 100 points 

For a bee desired for the exclusive pro- 
duction of comb honey we must change our 
scale to meet these different requirements. 
For instance, as the control of swarming is 

10 



more difficult when running for comb ^^^ riTisir 
honey, the better bee is the one least in- BREEDING 
clined to swarm. 

Here is a suggested scale : 

Prolificness 25 points 

Non-swarming 15 points 

Gentleness 10 points 

Working abilities 20 points 

Size of bee 5 points 

Comb-building 10 points 

Hardiness 10 points 

Color 5 points 

The perfect bee 100 points 

Now, when we proceed to judge a colony 
of bees — for instance, one run for comb 
honey — we start in with prolificness. As- 
suming that the colony under observation 
is very strong, but still there is room for 
improvement, we will credit them with 20 
points out of the possible thirty. Taking 
up the next and then the next requirement 
until we reach the end, we add the figures. 
Suppose the sum is 80 points, our strain 
needs improvement until the 100 points are 
reached. 

The systems of registry amony cattle- 
breeders is familiar with all having a slight 
knowledge of this subject. These same reg- 
istries are maintained to a greater or less 
II 



■o-g-g degree among all live-stock breeders. In 

■RREEDING *^"^^ bee-keepers will find it profitable, pos- 
sibly, to establish among themselves like 
records. However, so much preliminary 
work is to be done before this point is 
reached, it is hardly necessary to enter into 
the discussion of this subject now, so we 
must hasten to the next. 



12 



THE PROBLEM. 

The reader has certain rights ; and among 
them is the privilege of summing up the 
case. If I happen to be wrong — ^why, put 
me straight. 

It is self-evident that the life of the bee 
is governed by the same biological laws as 
is all life, whether it be in the plant or 
animal kingdom. There can be no differ- 
ence in purely fundamental principles. Un- 
fortunately the limited space of this book 
forbids going into details regarding the 
many wonderful and beautiful examples and 
illustrations of these laws, only to define 
briefly some of the main ones directly affect- 
ing bee-breeding. 

Many consider one force primarily ac- 
countable for all forms of life. We call it 
environment. Another section of this law, 

13 



BEE seemingly different, we call heredity. With 

BREEDING these as fundamental, man with his reason- 
ing powers uses another force which we 
will call selection; then progresses further 
in controlling mating, which we call 
hybridizing, or crossing. To further his 
ideals still more, he regulates nutrition and 
uses to his advantage cerrelation. These 
are the main factors we shall deal with in 
the progress of this book. 

There is a very large amount of purely 
scientific and technical work to be accom- 
plished before bee-breeding reaches the 
perfection possible, and is placed in the fore- 
front with plant and animal breeding. It 
is, for instance, well known that the bee 
itself varies greatly; but before we can use 
these differences to advantage we must 
have before us the tabulated results of 
many researches. 

Every careful bee-keeper has noted the 
remarkable lack of uniformity of yield be- 
tween his various colonies, even when they 
are of the same apparent strength. This 
may be from two or more reasons or a com- 
bination of them. First, the colony may 
lack enough bees of the right age for gath- 
ering; or, second, it may be in the nature 
of the bee itself. As the first reason deals 

14 



in the management of the colony to the BEE 
greatest extent, we cannot discuss it here. BREEDING 
The second reason, however, deserves our 
serious attention. From stastitics, which 
may be as representative as we can now ob- 
tain, I have found the variations averaging 
over 50 per cent, between the ten highest 
and the ten lowest yields of apiaries in the 
same State. We need more reliable figures 
along this line; and when bee-keepers will 
fully realize the difference of stock, the 
question of breeding will receive nearly as 
much attention as management does now. 

It is hardly necessary to argue why the 
bee should be scientifically bred. Nature 
will hardly develop a better bee, for she has 
altogether different aims from man. Most 
of us wish a more profitable bee. We all 
know that, of each colony reached the high 
standard sometimes reached by a single 
colony, the honey crop would often be dou- 
bled. Careful breeding will accomplish 
this, and with it reduce in proportion the 
cost of all management, and this means 
better profits. 

There are many points to breed for. One 
is color. Color may not be necessary, but 
let us have beautiful bees if possible. 
Beauty is a stimulant to best endeavors ; so, 

15 



BEE breed for beautiful bees, but combine it 

BREEDING with endurance and industry. We can do 
it. 

When we are breeding for certain points 
we will often run against traits that are al- 
most a part of the bee itself; and to change 
then nearly means nearly making the bee 
over. For example, let us take the swarm- 
ing impulse or the desire to increase. We 
can remove many of the conditions that 
tend to produce swarming, and by presist- 
ent breeding reduce this tendency to as low 
a point as is desirable. 

As the queen is the foundation of the col- 
ony, we must have better queens. Cheap 
queens are a detrimental factor. As long as 
consumers insist on paying a low price for 
their stock, so long must they be content 
with the result of queens reared without 
proper care. There is too much tendency 
now to see how many queens can be raised, 
rather than how good queens. A good 
queen should command a good price, and a 
dollar is not enough. 

We are all familiar with the fabulous 
prices paid for prize-winning trotting 
horses. Similar prices are paid for beef and 
milk cattle. Coming down to an industry 
which is often thought of in connection 

i6 



with bees — poultry. Single specimens have BEE 



sold more than once for over $1000. Choice 
breeding stock always commands a very 
high price; but with bees the prices paid 
for the best breeders rarely exceed $25.00, 
with a common level of $10.00 for the best 
specimens our breeders can produce. 

This is all out of proportion to value of 
queens. 

We can see how horses can earn large 
sums and be worth the prices paid, and 
horses and cattle are limited in their repro- 
ductive powers. The same way with poul- 
try. Now, aside from breeding purposes a 
hen can very rarely exceed 200 eggs a year; 
and these, at the average price of i 1-2 cents 
each, amount only to $3.00, and from this 
amount you must deduct the heavy ex- 
penses. 

We will now consider a good queen-bee. 
From her eggs you could rear an immense 
number of other queens in a year. But in 
common practice you are doing well in rear- 
ing 1000; and these queens, at the low price 
of 50Cts. each, will be worth $500. Again, 
to place the queen beside the hen in produc- 
tive value, comparing eggs with honey. 
This queen at the head of a colony will pro- 
duce 100 to 300 pounds of honey; this, 

17 



BREEDING 



BEE 
BREEDING 



valued at locts. per pound, would bring 
$10.00 to $30.00, which is 10 per cent, inter- 
est on $100 to $300. And the life of the 
queen is as long as the hen's in usefulness. 
Yet we are willing to pay only $1.00 to 
$10.00 for a queen capable of such value. 

It is small wonder that, with so many 
years of what we call modern culture be- 
hind them, American bees have made little 
or no marked advance. In animal and 
plants, enormous strides have been made, 
and we must advance the bee. 



18 



ENVIRONMENT. 

Before going further into this subject I 
may as well explain that my views are Neo- 
Lamarckian. Though this theory is nearly 
a century old, a remarkable revival of it has 
occurred within the past five years. Our 
most advanced scientists believe this to be 
the most reasonable theory of the subject. 
Of course, there are many other theories, 
but we can not stop here to deal with them. 
If you are interested there are many books 
which will argue one way or another. 

From the first simple cells to the present 
multitude of complex forms of life there is 
an immense span. Yet one force is respon- 
sible for all this change, to which all life 
eternally adapts itself — environment. We 

19 



BEE 
BREEDING 



use this word often, but do not half compre- 
hend its full meaning. 

This law of environment grinds slow, but 
grinds exceedingly fine. Its results are 
most certain. Hence in bee-breeding we 
can not afford to overlook it. 

We can not expect the highest develop- 
ment of the bee unless the conditions and 
culture are the best. The environment must 
be the most favorable to the change we de- 
sire. 

Just what effect climate has on the habits 
of the bee, we can not tell, as we have no 
data ; but it must be along the same lines as 
with other life. My own experience with 
strains of honey-bees long bred in warm cli- 
mates show, that, as a rule, they are in- 
clined to be less vigorous workers, and very 
irritable, while strains bred in cooler climes 
seem to be more gentle and industrious. 

Gentleness may depend on handling. If 
you maltreat an animal, for instance a dog, 
you will soon have a vicious beast. Again, 
if you are kind, a savage one may be made 
docile. While the bee is of a lower order, 
and thus not so easily affected, right hand- 
ling must tend to produce a more gentle 
bee. It's a point worth considering. 

Small hives or brood-nests restricted in 
any way tend to produce a less prolific queen 

20 



by retarding development ; and this, in turn, 
affects her offspring. Just to what extent 
this is injurious we can not say ; but doubt- 
less the tendency of present conditions of 
the hive is unfavorable. The queen must be 
allowed sufficient amount of comb space 
if we are to profit by the law of environ- 
ment to produce better and more polific 
queens. 

It is true that many contend that ac- 
quired characteristics are not transmitted 
to offsprings, and still others contend that 
they are the only ones that are. As this 
point as well as others leads only to an end- 
less discussion of various theories, we will 
stop here. 

Environment, in another sense, play, a 
part in the mating of the queen, which is so 
im.portant a matter. Since we can not yet 
absolutely control this matter, we can, for 
instance, restrict the flight of drones by is- 
land or prairie apiaries. As we take up this 
subject a little further on we need only 
mention it here. 

In brief, environment, the effect of forces 
within and without, are as constant as grav- 
itation, and surely influence the individual, 
and, by the law, we next take up the off- 
spring directly. 

21 



BEE 
BREEDING 



^P 



HEREDITY. 

All life is but the continuation of life 
which gave it birth. We call heredity that 
force which has to do with the transmis- 
sion of certain qualities from parent to off- 
spring. It has been put in other words, 
"heredity is the sum of all past environ- 
ment." 

As we have said before, heredity is so 
closely connected with environment it is 
impossible to separate it fully. Hence it is 
doubtless true that all qualities that are in- 
herited have once been acquired. With 
this in view we can see how important this 
law is to practical bee-breeding. 

The importance of the ancestry of the 
stock from which the bee-keeper desires to 
breed are of greatest consequence, and 
must not be overlooked. Bees, like other 
forms of life, are inclined to certain traits; 
and if these are desirable they should be en- 

22 



couraged; and if undesirable they must be p.pp, 

suppressed. One characteristic seems to be -D-DppT^Tvrp 

inherited entire, independent of another, 

making things uncertain; but every point 

must be taken advantage of by the skillful 

breeder. 

The constitution of various strains of 
bees varies greatly; and as this is a vital 
point the wise breeder will alv/ays have it 
in view. A good constitution insures long 
life, and swiftness and strength of wing, — 
little consequence in the individual bee, but 
of great importance in the final results of 
the work of the colony. 

All qualities may be inherited, whether 
good or bad — color, size, disposition, etc. 

One question yet uninvestigated in bees 
is the part heredity plays in the transmis- 
sion or resistance of disease. In animal 
life this subject is widely discussed. In 
plant life, breeding for disease resistance is 
common. Coming still closer to bees, with 
insects, the silkworm, for instance, is known 
to transmit through her eggs disease which 
is fatal. With this question answered, some 
preplexing problems will be solved for the 
bee-breeder. 

Nearly fifty years ago a monk in Austria, 
Mendal by name, discovered a law by which 

23 



ggg he could predict the results of crossing two 

BREEDING ^i^^^^'^^t varieties. This law he worked out 
in a most remarkable manner, and to the 
minutest details. His discovery created no 
stir until recent years, when it was redis- 
covered by others. 

If Mendal's law be true, v/e may regard 
all animal and plant organisms as m.ade up 
of a number of unit characters— lo, loo, 
1000, etc.; and these units behave somev/hat 
like chemical reactions. The subject is very 
technical and com^plex in nature, and hard to 
explain to anybody not having considerable 
knowledge of special nature. 

This law is fully worked cut in plant-life, 
and recently applied to animal. It now re- 
mains for the bee-keeper to apply it to the 
bee. It doubtless can be done, and the sub- 
ject will be given the great attention it de- 
serves, for the subject of heredity is a vital 
one. 

At best the problem of heredity is very 
complex, and difficult to solve. A volume 
would hardly be enough to explain its work- 
ing, and cite examples. However, bee- 
breeders should be familiar with at least its 
first principles, so as to understand other- 
wise unreasonable and discouraging occurr- 
ences that are sure to come. 

24 



SELECTION. 

Variation is the only constant force in life. 
Acknowledging this fact the bee-keeper 
should always be on the alert to improve 
his stock by the selection of the desirable 
qualities of this stock as they appear, and 
make them a part of this strain. Natural 
selection fits only for natural environment, 
and can never be depended upon to produce 
a bee adapted to the artificial needs of the 
bee-keeper. 

Variations occur in every colony of bees. 
These variations, of course, are less marked 
in a strain of bees less carefully bred than in 
one carelessly maintained. The truth is, 
there can never be two colonies exactly 
alike. It is necessary to produce the best 
results in your apiary that every queen rear 

25 



g£jg bees near a uniform excellence, and the 

BREEDING ^ig^^^ ^^^s standard, the better. 

As we have seen, variations are con- 
stantly occurring. You have seen bees cap 
their cells to perfection while another does 
not. If you are running for fancy, other 
things being equal, breed from the former 
queen and drones. Colonies of bees differ 
in pollen-gathering and propolizing. They 
vary in their hours of laboring and the man- 
ner of ripening honey. They differ in cold 
and heat resisting, as well as resisting dis- 
ease. The polificness of queens is often 
marked, as well as the tendency to swarm. 
In judging these points we must bear in 
mind any artificial conditions that may in- 
terfere with the natural course of things. 

All of these points, and many we have 
not named, though they appear very minute, 
must be kept in mind by the breeder, as they 
afford basis for the improvement of this 
stock. 

An example of selection with bees which 
has been attempted in a spasmodic way is 
selecting for long tongues. Doubtless we 
can create a bee having a much longer ton- 
gue than the one wc now have. Plant and 
animal breeding abound in examples of re- 
sults gained that are far more difficult than 
has been attempted in bee-breeding. The 

26 



tongue-reach of the bees is important, and BEE 
breeding for this point should not be aban- BREEDING 
doned by any means. 

Another example is the "yellow-from-tip- 
to-tip" bees. This plainly illustrates what 
can be done in the color line when proper 
care is taken. 

To begin the work of selection you should 
have the best possible stock for foundation. 
It is foolish to start with inferior bees v/hen 
better can be obtained, even though this 
stock should come high. The time and la- 
bor lost in working with inferior bees more 
than repays any first cost. Final results 
are often half gained or entirely ruined in 
making the start. Breed from the very 
best of a very large number. 

One quality is often gained at the expense 
of another. This should be kept in mind, 
and the colony averaging the highest num- 
ber of points should be the one to breed 
from, in the majority of cases. 

It is a splendid ideal, if not almost neces- 
sary, for the bee-keeper to keep a profit- 
and-loss account of every colony of bees un- 
der trial for selection. This will aid in de- 
termining which colony excels in reality 
and not from a personal view. 

Variation, while bringing to light quali- 
ties, also exposes bad ones. Eternal vigil- 
ance is the price of a superior strain of bees, 

27 



CROSSING. 

From a scientific standpoint it is to be re- 
gretted that the mating of the queen can 
not be controlled absolutely. From a prac- 
tical view it is not so necessary, and pre- 
vents certain abuses. Still we can mate 
queens to a reasonable certainty. The more 
the radius of the flight of the queen becomes 
knov^^n, the less it grows, and especially so 
when drones are abundant. By rearing 
many drones within the apiary, from select 
hives we can expect a high percentage of 
our queens to mate with desired drones. 

When more than one strain of bees are 
raised in the same yard, undesirable drones 
can be suppressed by cutting brood or by 
the use of drone-traps; also it is a fact that 
a queen rarely lays drone eggs when less 
than a year old, which, too, is a valuable 
point for the honey-raiser to consider. 

A cross, as we have previously defined, 
is the result of the mating of two separate 

28 



varieties. We will also discuss under this BEE 
head the closer mating, taking up first the BREEDING 
mating of less related bees to the much 
closer union of related colonies. 

For examination, let us look back at the 
most common cross — an Italian queen with 
a native black drone. The offsprings we 
call "hybrids." Almost invariably these 
bees are of an irritable temper. However, 
by reversing the parentage, mating the na- 
tive queen with an Italian drone, we may 
obtain bees as gentle as could be desired. 
This fact has been proven again and again. 

Just what qualities are inherited from 
either parent is a mooted question. How- 
ever, some breeders say it can be predicted 
with reasonable safety that color, for exam- 
ple, is from the female, and the disposition 
from the male side. There have been and 
can be made hundreds of different crosses 
between different varieties and strains of 
bees. If the results of these were collected 
and tabulated and presented to us in con- 
crete form, the problem of breeding bees 
would be greatly simplified. 

Referring again to a common cross-black 
with Italian, or vice versa, some crosses of 
this nature in plant and animal life are noted 
for their vigorous constitutions, so that they 
29 



BEE can resist disease and unfavorable condi- 

BREEDING tions better than either of their parents. On 
account of these desirable qualities many 
bee-keepers, from results of actual exper- 
ience, champion the "hybred" bee, much to 
the astonishment of the rearers of pure 
stock. This constitutional vigor is not a 
mystery under certain conditions for it is 
in accordance with a law well known among 
animal and plant breeders. 

In making the above statement it must 
be limited strictly to pure "hybrids." De- 
generate stocks of hybrids, or run-out pure 
strains, are most liable to disease. A first 
cross between strains is good, but a first 
cross between native and foreign stock is 
the best. 

The union of native stock and foreign 
blood, in many circumstances where the en- 
vironments have been radically different, 
produces an energetic offspring as well as 
oftimes the offspring of foreign parents in 
new environments. In other words, it is an 
introduction of new blood. Introduce new 
blood as long as it results in anything bet- 
ter. Such "hybrids" should be carefully ex- 
perimented with, and, where valuable, 
should be made a commercial asset. 

For the above reasons I would strongly 
urge the attention of queen-rearers to the 

30 



sale of virgin queens. There is no obstacle BEE 
in the way except common prejudice, allow- BREEDING 
ing, of course, for any errors in judgment 
that are liable v/hen a new plan is tried. 
Virgins can be cheaply produced, as it re- 
lieves the queen-bearer of the most expen- 
sive part of the operation. They can be 
mated, usually, up to twenty-five days, 
which is an ample margin above mailing re- 
quirements, excluding foreign shipments. 
There is much less liability of injury of vir- 
gins in the mails. In fact, I do not think 
bee-keepers generally realize the extent that 
laying queens are injured during their jour- 
ney, and these injuries are doubtless the 
cause of much dissatisfaction that often 
arises. A laying queen is a highly organ- 
ized and delicate creature; and the sudden 
stoppage of her duties is dangerous. Aside 
from the item of probable crossing with na- 
tive drones, and thus invigorating the 
stock, the sale of virgins at a low price 
would induce bee-keepers to restock often, 
as the best time of a queens life is her first 
year, and it is advisable to replace a queen 
for commercial purposes that has lived one 
full season. 

Crossing disturbs the slow sluggish flow 
of life, and renders the clay plastic so we 

31 



BEE can work it. By crossing, desirable com- 

BREEDING binations can be made, characteristics sup- 
pressed, blended, or made dominant. In 
fact, almost any change can be made if time 
and patience are combined with skill. 

Crossing also has its dark side. We have 
disturbed nature, and often, though some- 
times without the cause of crossing, the 
characteristics that dominate are those of 
remote or original ancestors, and usually 
very undesirable. When such a state of af- 
fairs occur, either under normal or abnor- 
mal conditions, we speak of it as being due 
to the law of atavism, the reversion to the 
primative types, the cause of which we lit- 
tle understand. 

In bee-breeding it is not advisable to 
breed from hybrid stock, as we can not con- 
trol mating enough to make sure of points 
which must be observed to produce desir- 
able results. It closes to the bee-breeder a 
wide field of action which is being richly 
worked by the plant and animal breeder, of 
which we now speak briefly. 

The question of in-and-in, line, or close 
breeding, have not (fortunately or unfortun- 
ately, as you choose), on account of uncon- 
trollable mating, ever received attention 
from the hands of the bee-breeder as it de- 

32 



serves. In-and-in breeding is necessary BEE 
when building up a strain from a few indi- BREEDING 
viduals, or fixing certain qualities. Line 
breeding is used to maintain a pedigree. 
Both of these systems are like sharp tools: 
in the hands of the unskilled they are dan- 
gerous, but the experienced operator can 
use them to great advantage. 

In close breeding, care should always be 
taken in mating individuals that have no bad 
but only good qualities in common, as the 
common qualities are usually intensified. 
Close breeding, if carried to excess, is sure 
to cause degeneration, and the only remedy 
is the introduction of new blood. In a gen- 
eral way, bees long raised in a certain local- 
ity are affected with the ills of close breed- 
ing. Nature abhors continual close breed- 
ing. Introduce new stock. 

True hybrids, as we have stated before, 
are the offspring of the union of two separ- 
ate species. As yet this question in bee- 
breeding has not been touched. Species 
are arbitrary divisions made by man, and 
may or may not be valid. Even true divi- 
sion may not be a barrier to hybridization. 
One noted plant-breeder has been quoted as 
saying, "Given any two species of plant 
life, I can, if I live long enough, produce a 

33 



BEE union between them." This merely illus- 

BREEDING trated the common ancestry of all life. 

There are two possible hybrids which 
might tend toward a better bee. The Apis 
Dorsata is a large-bodied bee, and a larger 
honey-bee within certain limits would be a 
good thing. The great variety of the genius 
Melipona, or stingless bee, might afford the 
chance of creating a stingless bee, of com- 
mercial possibilities. 

In closing this chapter we must, as in 
other points, confess our ignorance of many 
things. 



34 



NUTRITION. 

This subject has been given a separate 
chapter on account of its importance and the 
tendency of the bee-breed to overlook it. It 
is vital, as is directly affects the results of 
his works. The subject might have been 
dealt with under "Environment" or "Her- 
edity," in fact, it touches every where. It 
is as cement that binds the blocks. 

The effect of food supply upon the life of 
the bee is immediate, and through heredity 
it effects future generations. As the breed- 
er can control the food supply to a great 
extent, he can see the power he holds in his 
hands. 

Honey as we all know, is a highly con- 
centrated food upon which the bee depends 
for life. When we substitute candy or syr- 
up we run the risk of checking the develop- 

35 



BEE 



ment of the bee, especially the queen and 
BREEDING ^^°"^' t^^rough malnutrition and by the 
adultrants or chemicals used in the manu- 
facture of commercial sugars. It can not be 
urged too strongly to limit your feeding to 
pure honey — more strongly when you are 
engaged in the actual work of bee-breeding. 

Some feed their larvae much more liber- 
ally than others. This is a habit, and the 
honey-flow is not entirely responsible. Bees 
properly and liberally fed must, by the law 
of nutrition, develop better than the starved ; 
hence we may expect bees better constituted 
for honey-gathering and disease resistance, 
and long life. Colonies showing this valua- 
ble trait should be jealously watched and 
increased. 

The most important single factor in the 
life of the colony is the queen. We must in- 
sist that the development is unchecked and 
her needs fully supplied. By the very na- 
ture of things, swarming time is the best 
season to rear the finest queens. They are 
always liberally fed and lavishly cared for. 
Queens reared out of season are apt to be 
stunted and not fit to perform the duties 
which demand such remarkable vitality. 

If you wish to verify the above state- 
ment, carefully compare the size of queen- 

36 



cells reared in swarming season with those BEE 

artifically stimulated out of season on syrup BREEDING 

or those reared in starving or discouraged 

colonies. You can almost every time detect 

the queen reared under the later conditions 

by her small size ; and if you have patience 

you will see her inferiority later in the 

colony. 

The development of the drone is affected 
in the same way. A drone starved or ill fed 
is hampered in the development of his spe- 
cial organs, and the quantity of sperm must 
be less. Mating by chance, this drone is re- 
sponsible for the failure of the queen in time 
to produce worker bees, upon which her 
usefulness depends. 

To develop to the highest standard we 

must attend to nature's ways. Queens 

reared out of swarming season are ill fed 

from lack of young bees and other ways, 

and are apt to mate with poor drones, as 

any experienced queen-breeder will tell you. 

Your breeding stock must be reared under 

every favorable condition, and commercial 

stock reared the same way should com- 
mand a high premium. 

While not exactly under this subject, we 

can take it up here. I refer to the matter of 

the size of the cell as related to the dfevel- 

37 



BEE opment. It has been recently shown by 

BREEDING some foreign observers that the cells of all 
bees are not the same. The size of the de- 
generate bee is the smallest; next to it, the 
common stock and largest, is the highest- 
developed five-banded Italians. This natur- 
ally raises the question, "Why not increase 
the size of the cell in foundation, and in- 
crease by spacing the width of comb, and 
thus increase the size of our bees?" This 
same principle is applied to plants and ani- 
mals with success. By unrestricted devel- 
opment, superior strains are produced. 
Variations produced in this way are much 
slower than those induced by crossing, or 
another phrase of this same subject — 
changed environment. We must not expect 
to produce a giant bee in a summer this 
way. There is danger all along the road. 
You increase the diameter of the cell a few 
hundreths of an inch. The bee would na- 
turally more fully develop along the line of 
least resistance. The abdomen would en- 
large before the thorax. You would stand 
the risk of raising a crop of fertile workers 
if the bees could be induced to accept foun- 
dation too large. We must go slow. We 
must experiment. 



3& 



CORRELATION. 

Adapted to bee-breeding, correlation 
could be defined as ''the correspondence or 
relation which exists between different or- 
gans, or parts, as to form or uses." To un- 
derstand the laws of correlation unables a 
bee-breeder to judge an unseen quality by 
the relation it must bear to one which can 
be seen. For example, long tongues may be 
indicative of superior honey-gathering qual- 
ities. 

Correlation, too, is the basis upon which 
most divisions of life are made, as genius, 
species, etc. To a biologist certain forma- 
tions of a bone would place that animal un- 
der a certain division, and thus we have our 
varied classification. 

One important part of correlation that af- 
fects directly the problem of breeding is 
that one quality is not developed except at 
the risk of reducing an opposite related 
quality. In cattle-breeding this law is 
nicely illustrated from the fact that the 

39 



^^g highest type of beef animal is a poor milker, 

BREEDING ^^^ ^^^^ versa. 

In bee-breeding we can hardly expect to 
increase the size of the bee without a cor- 
responding decrease of another quality. In 
making a gentle bee we may produce one 
less inclined to protect its stores from rob- 
ber bees. Thus we see that nature always 
tries to strike a balance, and to raise this 
level is a really great work. 

When judging this law of correlation in 
mind we should be careful to rule out any 
accidental cause which may have been the 
cause rather than the working of the law. 
A black queen need not always be of black 
stock, as a queen chilled during a critical 
stage of her development is often very dark, 
while others from the same stock may be of 
the brightest yellow. Bees may not always 
be irritable, as a colony without stores you 
will notice is often cross, and can not be 
subdued with any amount of smoke. 

In the care of breeding colonies, the prac- 
tice of swapping combs should never be al- 
lowed, as it destroys almost every record 
from which we judge a queen. 

Breeders should ever be on the outlook 
for these little points of correlation, and 
record them, as they may later prove ex- 
tremely valuable, not only to himself but 
to another breeder. Bee-breeding consists 
of a multitude of little things vv^hich m.ake 
up the grand total. 

40 



HONEY PLANTS. 

In the company of nature the bee plays 
an important part in the fertilization of 
flowers. Plants and bees by mutual evolu- 
tion have become dependent up each other. 
The bees need the nectar for their nourish- 
ment, and the flowers need the bees for aid 
in accomplishing its circle of life. 

Why, then, should not the bee-breeder be 
interested in the other form of life so re- 
lated to his specialty? As we have shown 
before, the needs of man are not those of 
nature; and to accomplish his ends man 
must interfere, and direct the currents 
to his own advantage. Bee-breeding and 
plant-breeding hold so much in common 
that the bee-breeder is not a loss when he 
crosses the boundary. 

One of the most important problems of 
the bee-keeper is that of pasturage. As the 

41 



BEE country becomes more settled, the bee- 

BREEDING keeper must depend more and more upon 
artificial pasturage. As the wild flowers de- 
crease, those of cultivated plants become a 
greater source of honey, and he should give 
his attention to their honey-producing qual- 
ities. It should concern him what kinds of 
crops his neighbors plant. 

Red clover, it seems to me, should interest 
the bee-breeder, for it presents the greatest 
value when improved in the direction de- 
sired by the bee-man. Every head contains 
a large amount of honey beyond the reach 
of the honey-bee. Can not its tubes be 
shortened? Yes, just as soon as the work 
is seriously undertaken by someone. 

Buckwheat is an important source of 
honey in certain localities, but the product 
is injured by reason of its color and flavor. 
Why not breed a plant yielding a nectar 
which, gathered and stored by the bee, 
would be white and mild-flavored? Impos- 
sible? No, but it would take time. 

Many of these suggestions could be 
named. It is up to the bee-breeder to inter- 
est himself in these questions, and to co-op- 
erate heartily with his plant-breeding bro- 
ther and with his neighbors. 



42 



Breeding- Queen 



A good queen is an absolute essential 
to the successful queen-breeder. 

When you have a queen-mother whose 
daughters make good you have something 
worth while— she is worth her weight in gold. 
The surest way to get such a queen is to pur- 
chase the best stock . Never mind the first cost. 

Our stock is famous the world over for its ex- 
cellence. We offer breeding-queens as follows : 

Select tested queen $3.00 

Breeding-queen 5.00 

Select breeding-queen 7.50 

Extra select breeding-queen, 1 yr. old 10.00 

Many queen-rearers like fresh stock to breed 
from. Imported stock is preferred by many, 
so we offer direct importation . We save you 
time, trouble, and expense. 

Fair imported queen $3.00 

Best imported queen 5.00 

We can furnish all other races. When you 
want a queen par excellence, costing from 
$25 to $50, we can often supply you. 

The A. I. Root Company, 

Medina, Ohio, U. S. A. 



lOOth 
Thousand 



No other bee-book has had the sale 
of the A B C of Bee Culture. It sells 
because it meets the needs of the 
bee-keeper. 

The subject matter is arranged in 
an encyclopedic form so that any in- 
formation desired can be found in- 
stantly. Beginner or veteran will find 
the volume of greatest value. Con- 
stant revision has brought it entirely 
up to the times, and it is written to 
meet the conditions of the bee-keeper 
everywhere. 

For sale by all bee-supply dealers, and most 
booksellers. Price $1.00. If wanted by mail, 
add 20c for postage. 

TKe A. I. Root Co., 

Medina, OHio. 



It's to Your Ad- 
vantage ! 

If you are interested in bees— to subscribe to 
Gleanings in Bee Culture. 

Read Gleanings to learn how to make bee- 
keeping pay. It tells how to produce the 
maximum results with minimum of effort, 
making your work profitable as well as a 
pleasure. Bee-keeping is one of the most 
fascinating pursuits. It is a fine hobby for 
all ages and conditions. 

Gleanings is fully illustrated with beauti- 
ful half-tones. It gives its readers over a 
thousand pages of matter annually; semi- 
monthly. 

Subscription price $1.00 a year. Foreign 
postage, Jf.8 cts. extra. Six months' trial sub- 
scription, 25 cts. Is found in all important 
club lists. 

May we not enter your name ? 

Gleanings in Bee Culture, 

Medina, Ohio. 



Swart hm o re 
Books j^ j^ 



INCREASE. 

This little book interests all who are anxious for 
profitable increase. Second edition. Price 25cts. 

BABY NUCLEI. 

Tell from 20 years' experience of mating 
queens with a handful of bees. Price 50 cts. 

COMMERCIAL 
QUEEN-REARING. 

Cell-getting by the Swarthmore labor-saving 
devives, fully described and illustrated. 50 cts. 

Forcing Queens to I^as^ B^ifs in 
S'wartliinore Cups. 

Price 25 cents. 



FolloMring BooRs in Preparation 

Ho-wr to MaKe Hives of Paper. 

Also Nucleus Shipping-cases and Honey- 
houses. In preparation. Price 25 cents. 

S'wairtHinore Coinb«Hoz\ey Devices. 

Which entirely do away with close-fitting 
holcers, etc. In preparation. Price 25 cents. 



Be a Bee-Breeder 



Have you identified yourself in the move- 
ment for a better bee ? You should 
join the American Breeders' Associa- 
tion. A special committee on "Breed- 
ing Bees and Other Insects, " as follows: 



Dr. L. O. Howard, Department of Agriculture, 
Washington, D. C, Chairman. 

Dr. Herbert Osborne, Columbus, Ohio. 

E. F. Phillips, V/ashington, D. C. 

S. N. Green. Medina, Ohio. 

J. P. Moore, Morgan, Ky. 

G. M. Doolittle, Borodino, N. Y. 



Also many other committees devoted to 
different problems in plant and animal 
breeding. Annual dues, $1.00 a year, 
which includes a copy of Year-book 
worth five times that amount. Address 



= PROF. W. A. HAYS,= 

Sec. Amer. Breeders' Ass'n, 
Washington, - - - D. C. 



AVk 26 i«07 



Root's Goods 



The name of ''Root" when applied to bee- 
supplies, means as much as * ' Elgin ' ' when 
applied to watches. 

When you buy "Root's goods "you are 
sure of goods made by skilled workmen, from 
the best material. You are never disappoint- 
ed by receiving goods inaccurately cut, rough- 
ly made from inferior stock. 

There is nothing that an apiarist needs that 
v/e can not furnish, from a complete outfit to 
the smallest single article. 

We began the manufacture of bee-supplies 
forty years ago, with an increasing trade 
each year, until now we are the largest con- 
cern of the kind in the world. 

Our prices are right. You can buy our 
goods near at home. Write for catalog and 
name of agent nearest you. 



The A. I. Root Co., Medina, O. 

New York Chicago Philadelphia Washington 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

I mill Hill mil mil mil mil mil mil mil mil Hill II i 



002 841 703 2 • 



